“We’ve accepted the resignation,” said Malila. “We’re not going into the reasons.”

Botha told Sapa he was looking forward to his new job, but was coy about exactly what it entailed.

“It is a new area, but I am happy about it.”

Botha said his new employers approached him about a week ago.

He would not give further details about his new position or employer, and said it would bring unnecessary attention to them.

“The most important reason (for my resignation) is that I want to send my son to university next year and with a police salary it would have been impossible for me.”

Botha said he harboured no ill-feelings towards the police service. “I really enjoyed all the years I worked (there),” he said.

A close relative of Botha, who did not wish to be named, told The Star the former officer was taking up a job at a construction company.

“He’s a loss control manager in charge of security for a construction company.”

“He has found a better job, and now he can afford to send his son to university next year,” he said.

He declined to name the company or comment further.

Botha was a detective at the Boschkop police station in Pretoria.

During Pistorius’s bail application it emerged that Botha was facing attempted murder charges arising from a shooting involving people in a taxi in 2011.

The charges were dropped but apparently reinstated early last month, and Botha is due to appear in court in connection with this matter later this year. He has denied the allegations.

After the attempted murder charges emerged, Botha was replaced on the Pistorius investigation.

Malila said the attempted murder case would not be affected by Botha’s resignation.

When asked if there were any disciplinary or other charges being investigated against Botha arising from allegations of bungling in the Pistorius matter, Malila said there were no criminal charges. He said that if there had been any internal investigation, that ended with Botha’s departure from the SAPS.

Malila said Botha had been an investigator for many years and a member of the police for more than 22 years.

“It is a lot of experience that we are losing, but it is his personal decision.”